The Opera Tattler
Reviews of Performances and their Audiences
Category: San Francisco Opera
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* Notes * This year marked the 50th Opera in the Park performance from San Francisco Opera. The proceedings yesterday were delightful. Music Director Eun Sun Kim conducted with vim and clarity, starting with the National Anthem followed by Strauss’ Radatzky March. Later in the afternoon we heard San Francisco Opera bassist Shinji Eshima’s composition…
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* Notes * A new season of opened at San Francisco Opera with a brilliantly played Rigoletto last night. Maestra Eun Sun Kim had the orchestra sounding beautifully clear and there was much gorgeous and evocative singing. This 1997 production is inspired by the italian painter Giorgio de Chirico. The set, from Michael Yeargan, is simple…
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* Notes * The production of La Bohème at this season closed yesterday evening at San Francisco Opera with a competent second cast (pictured, photograph by Matthew Washburn) for three of the main singers. The orchestra sounded clear and lovely. The final performance was consistent with the prima, though conductor Ramón Tebar and the orchestra were…
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* Notes * Last night’s opening of La Bohème at San Francisco Opera was rather charming with great physical comedy, some lovely singing, and beautiful playing. The revived production is efficient and keeps the timing to a spare 2 hours and 20 minutes. The production, designed by David Farley, consists of many flat pieces to depict…
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September 5–27 2025: RigolettoSeptember 14–28 2025: Jake Heggie’s Dead Man WalkingOctober 25- November 13 2025: ParsifalNovember 1 2025: Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Manuel de Falla’s Siete Canciones Populares EspañolasNovember 14–30 2025: Huang Ruo’s The Monkey King May 28- June 21 2026: Il Barbiere di SivigliaJune 7–27 2026 ElektraJune 26 2026: Pride Concert San Francisco Opera’s…
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* Notes * A revival of Carmen opened last night at San Francisco Opera with some very fine singing and lively, brisk playing. Francesca Zambello's 2006 production is both pretty and functional, there is never a pause in the music to set up the stage. Conductor Benjamin Manis had the orchestra at a quick pace. The…
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* Notes *San Francisco Opera presented a 2012 production of Tristan und Isolde (Act II pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) from La Fenice for the second time last night. The orchestra sounded utterly clear and beautiful under Maestra Eun Sun Kim. Kim has the orchestra sounding transparent, every line is palpable. You can feel the…
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* Notes *San Francisco Opera gave the West Coast premiere of Poul Ruders' The Handmaid's Tale last night. The piece is an impressive theater experience, compressing the more than 300 pages of Margaret Atwood's novel into less than 3 hours. The co-production was first shown at The Royal Danish Theatre (Det Kongelige Teater) in 2022.…
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* Notes *San Francisco Opera's latest season opened last night with a beautifully sung Un Ballo in Maschera. The 2016 production from Teatro dell'Opera di Roma was decidedly lackluster. The orchestra sounded lucid under the baton of Maestra Eun Sun Kim, and I look forward to hearing this again. The playing wasn't completely precise, but…
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